Signal Net inflows to most innovation cities peaked in 2014 and 2015 and several have turned to net outflow

Summary

Net migration into the innovation cities rose as relocation gathered pace and reached its high point in 2014 and 2015. Since then net inflows have shrunk in most of them, and the overall trend has entered a phase of decline and reversal. The Gyeongbuk and Jeonbuk innovation cities, many of the new-extension type cities and Sejong have recently switched to net outflow. Job-driven moves increased only temporarily during the peak relocation years, and after completion net movement back toward the capital region reappeared. The report reads this as evidence that relocating public agencies alone cannot sustain a region's population over time. The analysis traces this path by comparing four reference years, 2005, 2014, 2019 and 2024.